Bluffton Affordable Housing Committee recommends $50,000 for small home series

The town of Bluffton has a plan to continue offering affordable housing for residents.

The Bluffton Affordable Housing Committee will make a recommendation to Town Council on Tuesday to use the $50,000 gathered so far from the Wharf Street development project to start a small home series program.

The Bluffton Small Home Infill Housing Series Program is designed to create affordable home ownership opportunities — for example, providing low-cost alternatives to repairing or replacing a mobile home. This program is also designed to develop empty lots.

The program will provide a series of affordable housing designs, ranging in size and style, that will be pre-approved and construction ready. The series will be open to eligible homeowners in Bluffton. At this time, town staff is unsure how many homes will be built.

The town expects to have $120,000 in proceeds to invest in other affordable housing after the sixth and final Wharf Street home is sold.

The committee voted at its Tuesday meeting to recommend the town use the remaining $70,000 of the expected funds for three programs.

The committee will recommend $21,000 be used for the demolition of unsafe structures and an affordable housing incentive program. The rest would go toward the small home series.

“The remainder of the proceeds, which is expected to be about $49,000, would go to the small home series program to cover operations,” said Shawn Leininger, Bluffton planning and community development manager.

Leininger said the proceeds from Wharf Street must be used for other affordable housing initiatives.

The Wharf Street redevelopment transformed blighted property in Old Town Bluffton into six affordable, energy-efficient homes, ranging in size from 1-3 bedrooms, that display the character of the surrounding historic district. The $1.2 million project was funded mostly by federal grants.

Szpanka said Town Council made the small home series a priority in its 2013-14 strategic plan.

“This will also help those who live outside the historic district to be able to use plans, or pay a very reasonable use fee, to build their home,” Mayor Lisa Sulka said.

If Town Council approves the small homes program at its meeting Tuesday, town staff will immediately begin work on the plans, which include preparing a development schedule and determining homeowner eligibility.

“This is an opportunity to make available additional affordable housing options by offering a variety of construction ready, cost effective, modular and stick built home designs as an alternative to purchasing or replacing a manufactured home,” Leininger said.